Aligning means for folding partitions



Oct. 23, 1951 W. J. HORN ALIGNING MEANS FOR FOLDING PARTITIONS Filed Jan. 21, 1950 h/alfer J. Horn Patented Oct. 23, 1951 Ul-NlTED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALIGNING MEANS FOR FOLDING PARTITIONS Walter J. Horn, Fort Dodge, Iowa, assignor 150-- Horn Brothers, Fort Dodge-Iowa, a partnership" Application. January 21, 1950,.Ser-ial No. 139,916

4 Claims. 1

Thi'sinvention relates generally tofolding partitions and in particular to a folded partition comprised of a series of hinged-together partition sections which are extendible across a room to separate or divide a part of the room from the remainder of the room.

Anobject of this invention is to provide an improved foldable partition.

A furtherobject of this invention is to provide a folda'blepartition in which the leading end of the partition, when the partition is in an unfolded position, is centered relative to a stop abutment therefor.

Still another objiectof this invention is to provide a foldable partition inwhich the leading end thereof is of a construction relative to an abutment member therefor, when the partition is in an unfolded position, such that the leading end is moved into a centered relation with the abutment member concurrently with the engagement therefor with the abutment member.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a center aligning means for a folding partition which is of a simple and compact design, eificient in operation, and capable of being installed on the partition without detracting from the appearance of the partition.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision of center aligning means for a folding partition in which the leading edge of the partition is provided with a fiat upright alignment member projected forwardly from the leading edge of the partition, with the upper end of the alignment member being arranged to lead the lower end thereof. An upright abutment or'jamb, engageable with the leading edge of the partition, when the partition is unfolded or in a closing position therefor, is formed with an upright guide g-roove for receiving the alignment member on the leading edge of the partition. The groove is of a tapered construction so that its upper end is both wider and deeper than its lower end, whereby on unfolding of the partition the upper end of. the alignment member is initially received within the upper end of the groove, and as the partition is unfolded the alignment member, from its upper end to its lower end, is progressively moved within the groove to center or align the partition relative to the groove in the abutment.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a single folding partition and an associated. closing abut- 2f ment or jamb therefor, embodying the center aligning means of this invention, wherein the partition is movable from one side of the room into engagement with the abutment to partition the room;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail View, as seen online 2- 2 in Fig. 1', showing a trolley device for supporting certain of the" sections in the folding partition: from the ceiling of a room;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view show-- ing the leading end or edge of the folding pan tition in Fig. 1, and-the abutment therefor, with certain parts of the abutment being broken away to more clearly show itsconstructi'on;

Figs. 4 and 5. are sectional detail viewsi taken along the lines 4 -4- and: 5-5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6- isa sectional detail view illustrated similarly toFigA; showing the partition and abutmenti therefor in engaged positions;

Fig. is side elevational view showing. a pair of associated partitions; embodying the. center aligning: means of this invention, and lit the partitions are movable toward each other from a pair. of oppositeisiderwalls of a. room to divide orpartition the room, with certain parts being brok'en-for the-purpose of clarity; and

Fig. S is a. top plan: diagrammatic View of the pair-of foldingpartitions? shown in Fig; 7.

With. reference" to the drawings, the" center aligning meanszof' this invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 in assembly relationwith a folding partition, indicated generally at l6, and comprised: of a seriesiv of partition sections ll. The folding partition. or door:- I0 is of. av commercially available type'wherein the sections I l are: hinged together'at it for folding'or opening movement fi'a't against'each other adjacent to one" side wall lfii of. a. room designated at I l, which is to be divided. or: partitioned, and forunfolding or closing movement across; the. room to' a position ad jacenti its opposite side wall 53.

The. partition sections H are supported for folding and; unfolding movement. on. trolleys I'E which travelorr a track l suspended from. the room. ceiling 13 (Fig. 2). As shown generally in Fig; 1" a. trolley 1.6. is. connected" with the first or lead-1' section lilrai of the. partition It and then with everyothersection in the partition from the lead section. The trolleys ii: andtrack I! are enclosedzwithi'n a ceiling. casement I9, the lower end' ofv whichterminates in a guide molding 2|. As best appears in Fig. 2, the guide molding ,2! constitutes. a guideway for the upper ends 22 of the partitionasections l l.

Each. trolley t6. includes a swivel bolt 23. which is connected with certain of the partition sections I l, as previously described. The swivel bolts 23 extend through a longitudinal slot or opening 24 in the casement I9 for connection with the upper ends 22 of the partition sections H at a position within the guide molding 2|. To permit a folding movement of the partition sections H, as shown at the left hand side of Fig. 1, the guide mold 2| (Fig. 1) terminates short of the room side wall |3, as indicated at 26. Movement of the partition H) to its folded and unfolded positions may be accomplished in a usual manner by an electrically operated cable system (not shown) which is operatively associated with the trolleys Hi. It is to be understood, however, that other actuating systems, such as those of the chain and screw type, may also be used.

In the use of a folding partition of this type, the lower ends 21 of the partition sections II, when the partition I!) is in its unfolded position, tend to be located outwardly or laterally out of vertical alignment with their upper ends 22. In other words, the partition sections II are inclined to one side or the other of a vertical plane through the track H and section l, which plane is indicated at 28 in Fig. 2. This lateral tipping of the partition is overcome by the center aligning means of this invention.

The unfolded position of the partition I0 is limited by the engagement of the leading end or edge 29 (Figs. 1 and 3) of the lead or first partition section Ila with an upright abutment or jamb 3| carried on the room side wall |5. The jamb 3| is formed in its outer side 32, which is engageable with the lead edge 29, with a vertical guide groove 33. This 33 is of what might be termed a double tapered construction in that the upper end 34 is of both a greater depth and width than its lower end 36, with the tapered construction of the depth of the groove appearing best in Fig. 3 and the tapered construction of the width of the groove being apparent from a consideration of Figs. 4 and 5.

Projected laterally outwardly from the lead edge 29 of the first section Ha of the folding partition H] is a flat upright alignment member 31 (Figs. 1 and 3), the outer edge or side 38 of which is tapered so that the upper end 39 of the alignment member 31 overhangs the lower end 4| thereof. As shown in Fig. 5 the alignment member 31 is of a thickness slightly less than the width of the lower end 36 of the groove 33.

As the partition H] is unfolded across the room l4 toward the jamb or upright abutment 3|, the

upper ends 22 of the partition sections H are guided and maintained by the mold guides 2| in a substantially centered relation with the upright guide groove 33. As a result, when the lead edge 29 of the first partition section Ha approaches the jamb 3|, the upper end 39 of the alignment member 31 is positioned for entrance within the upper end 34 of the groove 33. This entry of the alignment member 31 is facilitated by virtue of the upper end 34 of the groove 33 being wider than its lower end 36 and greater than the thickness of the alignment member 31. In one embodiment of this invention, the alignment member is about one quarter of an inch thick, with the upper end 34 of the groove 33 having a width of about one half inch, and its lower end 36 a width of about five sixteenths of an inch.

As the unfolding movement of the partition ||l continues, after the initial entrance of the upper end 39 of the alignment member 31 within the groove 33, the alignment member 31 is progressively received within the guide groove until the leading edge 29 of the partition section Ila engages the side 32 of the jamb 3|, as shown in Fig. 6. By virtue of this progressive entrance of the alignment member 31 within the groove 33, the partition l0, concurrently with the unfolding movement thereof to a room partitioning position, is arranged in vertical alignment with the groove 33 and in turn intoa centered or vertically aligned relation with the plane 28. It will be further appreciated that the reception of the alignment member 31 within the groove 33 functions also to hold the partition against swinging movement out of its centered position.

The center aligning means of this invention is also applicable to that type of folding partition installation wherein a pair of folding partitions, designated generally as 46 and 41 in Figs. 7 and 8, move inwardly toward each other from the opposite side walls l3 and I5 of the room |4. Since the folding partitions 46 and 41, in Figs. 7 and 8, are similar in construction and operation to the folding partition ||l described in connection with Figs. '1 and 3, like numerals will be used to designate like parts.

Referring to Figs. '7 and 8, each folding partition 46 and 41, in its unfolded position, extends substantially one-half the way across the room 14, with the partition or division of the room being accomplished on engagement of the lead edge 48 of the partition 46 with the lead edge 49 of the partition 41. The lead edge on one partition thus constitutes an abutment or stop for the lead edge of the other partition.

An alignment member 31 is assembled with the lead section 5| of the folding partition 46 in all respects similar to the assembly of the alignment member 31 with the partition section Ha of the partition I?! in Figs. 1 and 3. For receiving the alignment member 31 on the partition 45 the lead edge 49 of the partition 41 is formed with an upright guide groove 33 similar in all respects to the groove 33 in the jamb Thus, on unfolding or closing movement of the partitions 43 and 41 across the room M toward each other, the upper end 39 of the alignment member 31 is guided within the upper end 34 of the groove 33 as a result of the guided support of the upper ends of the partitions 4B and ill within the mold guide 2|. As the leading edges 48 and 49 are moved against each other, the alignment member 3'1 is progressively received Within the groove 33.

The partitions 46 and 41 are thus guided into relative alignment whereby to eliminate any unfolded or closed positions of the partitions in reversed inclined directions relative to the vertical plane 28 and to assure an over-all engagement between the leading edges 48 and 49. Stated otherwise, the alignment means ositively prevents the partitions 46 and 41 being in what might be termed a triangular relation with only the upper ends of the leading edges 48 and 49 in abutting engagement.

From a consideration of the above description, it is seen that the invention provides a center aligning means for folding partitions which is of a simple design and readily adapted to folding partitions now in use. The action of the aligning means is entirely automatic, takes place concurrently with the unfolding of a partition to a room dividing position, and serves to maintain the partition against movement out of a center or aligned position.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding partition wherein a series of upright partition sections are hinged together for unfolding movement outwardly from a side wall of a room to a room partitioning position and for folding movement against each other to a room opening position adjacent to said side wall of the room, a track means supported from the ceiling of the room, means movable longitudinally of said track means and connected with the upper ends of certain of said sections to support said partition for folding and unfolding movement, an upright abutment member for engaging the leading edge of an end section of said series of sections, when said partition is in a room partitioning position, having a longitudinal groove formed in the side thereof which engages said end section, said groove being of a tapered construction so that its upper end is wider than its lower end, and an alignment member extended longitudinally of the leading edge of said end section receivable within said groove, with the upper end of said alignment member being arranged so as to lead the lower end thereof, and with the thickness of the alignment member being substantially equal to the width of said groove at the lower end thereof.

2. In a folding partition for dividing a room wherein a series of upright hinged together sections are movably supported at their upper ends on a ceiling track for unfolding movement across the room to a room dividing position, and for folding movement adjacent a side wall of the room to a room position, the means for vertically aligning said partition in a room dividing position therefor including a flat upright abutment member, with the leading edge of an end section of said partition sections being movable into engagement with said abutment member when said partition is in a room dividing position, said abutment member being formed with an upright groove of a tapered construction such that the upper end of the groove is of a greater depth and width than the lower end thereof, and a flat upright aligning member on the leading edge of said end section receivable within said groove, said aligning member being of a thickness slightly less than the width of the groove at the lower end thereof and with the aligning member having the upper end thereof projected outwardly from said leading edge a greater distance than the lower end thereof, whereby said upper end enters the groove prior to said lower end when said sections are unfolded to a room dividing position therefor.

3. In a folding partition for dividing a room wherein a series of upright hinged together partition sections are movably supported at their upper ends from the room ceiling for unfolding movement to a room dividing position extended across the room and for folding movement against each other adjacent a side wall of the room to a room opening position, an upright abutment member engageable with the leading edge of an end section of said series of sections when the partition is in a room dividing position, said abutment member being formed with a vertically extended groove in the side thereof opposite said leading edge, a fiat upright aligning member projected outwardly from said leading edge and receivable within said groove when the partition is in a room dividing position, with the upper end of the aligning member being in a leading relation relative to its lower end and the upper end of the groove being wider than the lower end thereof, whereby said upper end of the aligning member is initially received within said groove to guide the remainder of the aligning member into the groove as the partition sections approach a room dividing position.

4. In a folding partition for dividing a room wherein a series of upright hinged together partition sections are movably supported at their upper ends from the room ceiling for unfolding movement to a position to partition the room and for folding movement to a position adjacent a wall of the room to open the room, an upright abutment member having a side thereof engageable with the leading side of an end section of said series of partition sections, when the partition is in a room partitioning position, with one of said sides being formed with an upright guide. groove, said groove being tapered downwardly so that the upper end thereof is wider than the lower end thereof, and an upright flat aligning member projected outwardly from the other of said sides, said aligning member having the outer side thereof vertically inclined such that the upper end thereof projects outwardly from said other side a greater distance than the lower end thereof, with said aligning member being progressively receivable within said groove from the upper ends thereof, as the partition approaches a room partitioning position therefor, whereby to guide the partition into a vertically centered relation with said groove.

WALTER J. HORN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 21, 1933 Number Number 

